"Ain't No Mountain High Enough"

I picked this song for this post because, well, come on. How can you NOT feel pumped up and powerful after listening to this song?

Well, well. The whirlwind class that was Spring Intersession is over. And triumphantly so. I got an A. *brush off the shoulder* haha :)

But let me tell you the drama behind my final. Boy, howdy.
*backstory--the class was 2.5 wks long and it is 6 days a week for 3 hours a day. This teacher has a no make-up policy unless under extreme circumstances I did not miss one class, I sat in the front and was all participatory and stuff. I was a good student. A's or B's on all the tests/assignments (mostly A's to be honest).

The morning of my final (Wednesday), some construction workers knocked out the power on my WHOLE street. This meant my alarm did not go off, which meant that I woke up at 10. My final was at 9. With a whole bunch of curse words flowing while I did the bare minimum to get appropriately ready (clothes, brush teeth, shoes). I sped (bad yes, necessary though) to campus begging everyone to get out of my way and pleading to God my teacher was still in the classroom and she would take pity on a good non-slacking student. I got to campus, parked in the first available spot (ticket be damned) and RAN to my classroom. God was clearly listening or something because she was still there. Once I was in the classroom, before I could say anything my teacher gave me a hug and said "I waited because I had a feeling you'd come." I told her what happened and she basically said that if it were any other student, she wouldn't have worked with them to make up the test but she knew I was a good student (for all the back story reasons) so she and I made accommodations for me to take the test a few hours later because she had meetings. I sighed a sigh of relief and said thank you so gratefully and genuinely. I kept my composure the entire time--NO tears. And for me that is a very big deal. I don't handle test anxiety in general when I'm calm and ready but damn, that threw me. For me keeping it together is a big deal.

the important thing though--I got an A in the class! :)

Now I have until Monday off before summer school starts.
June 4-July 7! I CAN DO IT!!!

"Wild One"

I'm not so much a "Wild One" more like an "Unfocused One" because I seriously have the attention span of a puppy when it comes to doing homework.

I really do like that song though.

I have been in this class three days now and I legitimately enjoy it.  Interesting lectures, assignments, and I'm required to listen to music for homework--where's the bad?
*It's 3 hours a day 6 days a week for 2.5 weeks.
Oh! Speaking of interesting assignments--I have narrowed down my favorite piece analysis paper to three songs: "Falling Slowly", "Something", and "A Case of You". Thoughts? Anyone? Bueller? 

It will be fine though--honestly and truly. It should be an easy A right?
--damn. Did I just jinx myself?

Nah...it's information I have not only learned but actually practiced since 7th grade, but in more detail. I really should be fine.

Why am I having a conversation with myself you ask, you anonymous reader, you? Well, two reasons:
1) It makes me feel better and
2) no one comments so I can't have personal conversations. (HINT)

Random final note--
One thing that sucks about being 25 and still in college to get my bachelors degree is being on campus on graduation day (Congrats to my friends though!) seeing "babies" graduate. Not as encouraging as you'd think it would be...what-the-fuck-ever though.


That's all. This spastic puppy has a test to study for (that's right, I've been in class three days and I have a test already).

"If It Makes You Happy..."

"...Then it can't be that bad!!" This song will always bring back happy memories. :)

Well, my summer break was AWESOME--how was yours?
Oh, yours isn't over yet? That's cool. Mine actually hasn't started yet.

I pretty much had a long weekend (okay, a week) between the end of the semester from hell (aka Spring 2012) and the start of a whirlwind Spring intersession semester, where I will be taking one gen. ed. class in two and a half weeks. The class is basically music appreciation, so it should be fun and interesting--or at the very least, tolerable.

One of my first assignments is to analyze a favorite song and the song can be anything from classical to popular music today. The analysis includes describing the rhythm, beat and tempo of the song. Recognizing the time signature, whether it is major/minor song. These are music elements that I already know from being in band and choir so it will be really fun (and possibly annoying) to learn how to analyze songs I actually like, like this.

So, in preparation for this assignment I am going to list 5...okay 10 songs that aren't necessarily my favorite but they are songs that whenever I hear them either sends chills through my body or just immediately makes me happy. If you know them--enjoy again. If you don't know them--you're welcome and where have you been?? (no particular order)

1) Kindly Unspoken--Kate Voegele
2) Ghetto Gospel--Tupac ft. Elton John
3) Crystal--Fleetwood Mac (this version is specifically Stevie Nicks)
4) Something--The Beatles
5) Everything is Everything--Lauryn Hill
6) The Boxer--Simon & Garfunkel
7) Wild Horses--Natasha Bedingfield
8) Clocks--Coldplay
9) Fur Elise--Beethoven
10) Moonlight Sonata--Beethoven

So there that is...
Like I said, none of these are necessarily are my favorite songs, but I do thoroughly enjoy each one of them for every single second. There is something beautiful about music. I have always thought so.

What is the song that sends chills through you every single time you hear it?

Stronger

This time, it is Kanye who has the right, strong song

There is a moment that every single person has had before a test, whether they are 110% prepared or 50% prepared or not even remotely prepared, when they look at their note cards/study guide/etc. and just say "Fuck it."
This happens anywhere between half an hour to 5 minutes before test time and it happens because there comes a point when you realize there is nothing else that will enter your brain before you just have to breathe and take the test. 
This is not necessarily a bad moment. This is sometimes a great moment. For me personally, it doesn't happen often when I am so prepared for a test that I know I can't process anything else because I know everything I need to know, but when it does it feels great. Usually, it is the bad moment when I realize that no matter how much I try to cram in the next 30 or so minutes, I won't fit a semesters worth of information in my head so i just go into the test.
That all being said, I realize that I handle stress...okay.
I handle the possibility of failing HORRIBLY.
Six finals in 3 days is a TERRIBLE idea.
18 credits this semester has been a loving experience that each day has comforted me with a blanket filled with knives, broken glass, and thorns (I just thought of this description Saturday and I love it). This has been the semester from hell and I am ONE horrid final away from it being over.

Then starts summer school.
Which I actually am excited for, believe it or not.

4 hours until my last final, but sometimes you just have to say....







I did my best.

Never Let Me Go

I am LOVING this song and I really can't explain it. So listen.

Finals. I have six. They start May 7 and (for me) end May 9. I have two a day.
I also have a math test, a paper, and two projects before then.
I feel a breakdown coming on.
I have no idea how this semester is going to turn out, grade wise. I am petrified to find out.
Am I in the Peace Corps yet?

I have once again had my dear friend Rachelle "lock" me out of Facebook in an attempt to lessen distractions, I am going to try my damndest (yep, that's a word) to not watch ANY of my many TV shows until finals are over, and to keep my anxiety in check, I am going to run.
I don't know if I'll stop.

Seriously, am I in the Peace Corps yet?

"Call Me Maybe"

The title song today was chosen for many reasons:
1) I love it.
2) It was listened to endlessly on spring break (the topic of post)
3) The music video is hilarious.
4) Seriously, I love it; as ridiculous as the lyrics are, I love it.
So. Spring break in 10 pictures or less (seriously, I mean less):

View of Pensacola Bay from the 15th floor of Portofino Resort on Pensacola Beach.

Pretty view of the gorgeous beach and the FREE (to us at least) beach chairs/umbrellas from Portofino Resort

Mom. This bird, is for you.

Oh, and did I mention the sun setting over the bay while relaxing at the pool? Well, 'nuf said(ish).

Oh yeah! And there was a house to be built! Day 2 of building, but Day 1 of a new house.

End of Day 2 of new house--all the walls AND the tresses of the roof. New friend feeling proud.

Middle of the last day of building/Day 3 of new house--left half of the roof? I nailed that (pun FULLY intended. :P) I did have help, but honestly, I did a LOT.

By the end of the Day 3 build on Friday, the crew we had been working with all week said that we were the fastest college crew they had worked with. Normally they finish the roofing (among a few other things) at the end of Day 4 of a new house. We were quite proud of ourselves. I legitimately don't think a better spring break could have happened. Spend all day Monday at the beach; build from 8-3 Tuesday-Friday then go to the beach/pool at an INSANELY nice resort until well into the night; spend 12-4 at the beach on Saturday before finally leaving such a happy place.
Oh yeah, and I'm crazy tan now. Well, that's what I hear at least.

Now. Time to conquer evil--I mean finals.

"Leaving Las Vegas"

This song is a little bit of a blast from my past...Sheryl Crow has always been a favorite of mine and my sister's (i think). My very first concert EVER was Sheryl Crow with my mom, Sophie and Amelia. It was so much fun--even with the drunk girls behind us. :)

This post is mostly about needing somewhere to post about an article I just read, because I am attempting to detox from Facebook which is where I would normally post stuff like this.

Utah Legislature Votes To Prohibit Schools From Teaching About Contraception

I am very saddened, shocked, and upset that this is still the somewhat ignorant state of mind that UT politicians and people are in. And on a grander scale, people in this country are still in.
Get. Real. I am not saying teen pregnancy, etc would go away with proper education, but I am saying that people are KIDDING themselves if they think skipping Sex Ed is going to in anyway HELP the matter. No, it is not an easy subject, but guess what? Neither is birthing class. Take your pick world.

Okay. I'm done. :)